I am so grateful I found this video. I'm one week after from TKR and I have severe hip pain (sciatic I'm guessing) and of course knee pain. I would have never thought of sleeping on side of surgical leg or of laying on stomach but they have both helped immensely..especially laying on my stomach. I do that during the day with tens unit on my hip and it is such a relief. Thank you.
Thank you Luke, that’s great advice. I watched your videos last year with my first TKR and now I’m watching again as I’m one week into my second knee replacement. I find your advice really encouraging and so straight forward.
I’m going to try those methods tonight, after 3 weeks I am just now getting some sleep. I roll back and forth on my sides and it’s been hard to find a comfort zone. Thanks for explaining.
So I had knee replacement both 6 weeks apart. I already discovered that putting the pillow in between my knees as a side sleeper was the best thing for me to do to feel comfortable where I can sleep for at least 3 to 4 hours before having to move and of course my knees were bent cuz I sleep in fetal position but I'm also experiencing burning and stinging and irritation of the incisions where the skin is resting against sheets and blankets and pillows but I'm using one of those Contour memory foam pillows which I found to be the best
Thank you for watching and sharing.. Some sensitivity of the incision to touch, sheets, etc is normal after surgery. Thank you for sharing your personal experience and tips to help other viewers and thanks for watching!
Live your videos, I’ve found them very helpful. Six weeks post op, second knee, range of motion is great and I’ve been doing well. I’m a side sleeper, and the knee doesn’t bother me but for some reason my bursa is super swollen, and even with pillows I get the deep ache and throbbing. I wonder if I’m just doing too much, now that I can.
Thank you for your question...hard to provide a definitive answer, but it's possible since you've increased your activity as you started to feel well, the soft tissue around the knee may not have been quite ready for it, which may present as some inflammation and discomfort. With activity and time the soft tissue will build durability and your discomfort will likely subside.. right now I would consider just slightly decreasing the intensity and/or volume of what you're doing and then see how your knee responds, then slowly build back up your activity level as your knee and body tolerates.
New Subscriber here, I'm 62 years and I just had TKR. It's been 4 days. I'm adjusting to all the therapy exercises, just the sleep..... I'll try your way, hopefully I'll sleep good tonight.
You might want to check out the sleep meditation music videos on UA-cam. They have a variety of music videos for pain & inflammation. I use ear buds at night when I awake. I'm 4 wks post op on my 2nd TKR. Meditation with music has been very helpful. 👍
@@garioma1344 thanks for the info... I see you on your 2nd, I plan on doing my 2nd knee too, my question to you, how much time after your first, I heard it was 3 months
I had a total knee replacement on Nov. 1st. I am still struggling to find a comfortable position. Most every night my hip kills me. My hip didn't bother me BEFORE the surgery. I take 2 hydrocodones about 2 hours before I head to bed, which is usually around 8pm. But I am usually still awake at 2 or 3! When I get up around 9-9:30 am, I still don't feel fully rested. I'm going to take your advice. Thank you for making this video!! ❤❤😊
Thank you! I had knee replacement surgery just over a month ago on my right knee and before surgery I would sleep on my side with my right knee on the bottom. I was under the impression that would make things worse with my knee on the bottom like that.
You are welcome and thanks for watching. As long as it feels comfortable for you, there is really no reason why you can't sleep on your side with your surgical leg on the bottom.
This is a fair point. I usually recommend to patients try to sleep on the back with the leg mostly straight at least until you are able to achieve full knee extension (0 degrees), typically within the first few days to week. Once we know you have full extension range of motion we are less concerned about the extent of knee flexion when sleeping.
I have severe chronic osteoarthritis pain in my lower spine and simply cannot sleep on my back-not even with all the pain meds I take. I can only sleep on my side.
Sorry to hear about your low back issues impacting your sleep. It is totally ok to sleep on your side, especially if it better allows you to get a good nights sleep. I would recommend the pillow between the legs, as many patients report the benefits of this for improved comfort and positioning.
Also sleeping is more comfortable not only with pillows but if you put on scar cream before you go to bed to help ease some of that irritation you want to put vitamin E cream and Bag Balm and a few other things on like medicated Vaseline or just plain Vaseline to help with the irritation and the burning and stinging before going too bad also
How to best optimize the use of pain medicine is going to vary and come down to a discussion with your surgeon and healthcare providers. You can also incorporate other modes of pain management, this may include NSAIDs or Tylenol; icing, elevation and positioning. You will have to identify the best combination for you. Best wishes with your upcoming surgery and the rehab and recovery after!
Probably the most comfortable position is on your back with multiple pillows or a wedge propped under the leg to elevate it. You can also try sleeping in a recliner or sleeping on your side and using 1 or a few pillows between your legs.
This is common, most people don't tolerate laying on the stomach, especially early on after surgery. Side sleeping with pillows between the legs is a great option.
I'm 13 days post op and struggling right now to sleep. I'm worried about using any pillows since it was not advised. But I'm guessing if you're sleeping on your operated side, it's ok to pop a knee over it. Tfs 😊
The main concern with using a pillow is to place it directly under the knee so the knee is in a very bent position all night. If you are progressing well with your range of motion this is less of concern. It is absolutely ok to place your leg up on a pillow while sleeping on your side or with the pillow between your legs.
It is common practice for healthcare providers to recommend keeping the knee straight while sleeping to help avoid a stiff flexed knee that cannot straighten. However, this is really not as significant an issue as conveyed. As long as you are doing your knee extension range of motion exercises multiple times per day and achieving good knee extension (straightening), don't be too worried if there is a little bend in your knee if it is more comfortable and helps you sleep at night.
I had a partial meniscus removed do I have to rest my knee everyday, I’m on my 3 week. Do I put my leg on a table or is it normal to sit on the couch feet down.
It can be beneficial to elevate your leg throughout the day to help decrease swelling, but you don't have to do this all the time. It is okay to spend some of the time with the feet and legs resting in a normal position.
@@KneeReplacementTherapists okay thankyou 😊 I also had another question... like I mentioned I’m in my 3rd week after surgery my knee still feels stiff and weak is this normal? and why does it feel stiff is it because the swelling because I don’t see any signs of my knee swelled up. Thanks
@@servantofthecreator Yes this is normal, the stiffness is normally due to pain and inflammation, even if you don't have visible swelling. Also, your body is in the early stages of healing and scar tissue formation which can contribute to stiffness...keep moving the knee and your body often throughout the day
Just some quality sleep would be nice. I’m m 6 weeks in after having 2 knees replaced and sleeping is still a big issue. I want to lay on my side but of course the knees hurt.
You are not alone! Knee pain and difficulty sleeping are big issues, especially early on after surgery... for most folks it does get gradually better over time.
Helpful video! Good sleep is essential to a fast recovery. FWIW, you say “lay on your stomach” /“lay on your back”….the correct word here is “lie.” The word “lay” is used with an object…for example, “lay the book on the table.” When referring to the action of of putting our body in a flat position, we should say, “Lie down,” not “lay down.” Picky, I know, but just FYI. Love your channel!
Thank you for watching! I know better, too! I've actually had patients correct me on this, too 😀 Thank you for watching, and I'll do my best to use the correct word in future videos!
@@barryackerman3331 Yup. I've had two abdominal surgeries - had to sleep in the recliner for a week (we only had a waterbed, and I couldn't get out of it!). I had to protect my stomach with pillows from our 4 cats! During a foot surgery, I had 1 cat and our house bunny snuggled on my lap for 3 days straight. I'm plotting my upcoming TKR "Cat Sleeping Strategy" now! You can use foil and your walker as weird scaffolding cat defense shields, I've heard. 🙂
I would ask your surgeon or whoever informed you to only sleep on your back. In most cases you can sleep on your side as well after knee replacement surgery.
If you asking about keeping your knee straight, honestly just do the best you can when lying on your side. I believe it is more important to get the sleep and rest you need rather than worry too much about how much bend you have in the knee. It tends to only be in extreme cases where a person is completely negligent of their early stretching and ROM where prolonged periods of knee bend, such as at night, is an issue.
Not sure what part of the video you are referring to, but if it is about bending the knee, although you should try to avoid prolonged periods of time with the knee bent it is okay to have a little bend if it helps make sleeping more tolerable. Thanks for watching!
I am so grateful I found this video. I'm one week after from TKR and I have severe hip pain (sciatic I'm guessing) and of course knee pain. I would have never thought of sleeping on side of surgical leg or of laying on stomach but they have both helped immensely..especially laying on my stomach. I do that during the day with tens unit on my hip and it is such a relief. Thank you.
Very happy you have found the video helpful! Thanks for watching!
Thank you Luke, that’s great advice. I watched your videos last year with my first TKR and now I’m watching again as I’m one week into my second knee replacement. I find your advice really encouraging and so straight forward.
You are very welcome and thank you for watching! Hope your rehab and recovery from your second knee replacement is going well, best wishes!
Thank you the lack of sleep has been a huge pain in the but. I will try these for sure❤
You're welcome, hope they help!
Good video. I am 3 weeks post TKR and the most difficult thing for me so far has been finding a comfortable sleeping position.
Yup, unfortunately this is very common... it gets better with time, best wishes with your continued recovery!
I’m going to try those methods tonight, after 3 weeks I am just now getting some sleep. I roll back and forth on my sides and it’s been hard to find a comfort zone. Thanks for explaining.
You are very welcome, hope the tips help and best wishes with your continued recovery from surgery!
Excellent will remember & use pillows way you have explained thanks when have TKR soon.
Hope you find it helpful!
YOU COVERED IT PERFECTLY
Thank you! Glad it helped!
So I had knee replacement both 6 weeks apart. I already discovered that putting the pillow in between my knees as a side sleeper was the best thing for me to do to feel comfortable where I can sleep for at least 3 to 4 hours before having to move and of course my knees were bent cuz I sleep in fetal position but I'm also experiencing burning and stinging and irritation of the incisions where the skin is resting against sheets and blankets and pillows but I'm using one of those Contour memory foam pillows which I found to be the best
Thank you for watching and sharing.. Some sensitivity of the incision to touch, sheets, etc is normal after surgery. Thank you for sharing your personal experience and tips to help other viewers and thanks for watching!
Is bent knee ok
@@mondop5270 yes
Thank you! 💐I'm almost 1 month after a knee fracture and wasnt sure how to use the pillows to my advantage.
You’re very welcome! Hope this helps!
Great suggestions. This will really help people.
I hope so!
Realy thanks a lot for you vedio ❤
Most welcome 😊
Live your videos, I’ve found them very helpful. Six weeks post op, second knee, range of motion is great and I’ve been doing well. I’m a side sleeper, and the knee doesn’t bother me but for some reason my bursa is super swollen, and even with pillows I get the deep ache and throbbing. I wonder if I’m just doing too much, now that I can.
Thank you for your question...hard to provide a definitive answer, but it's possible since you've increased your activity as you started to feel well, the soft tissue around the knee may not have been quite ready for it, which may present as some inflammation and discomfort. With activity and time the soft tissue will build durability and your discomfort will likely subside.. right now I would consider just slightly decreasing the intensity and/or volume of what you're doing and then see how your knee responds, then slowly build back up your activity level as your knee and body tolerates.
New Subscriber here, I'm 62 years and I just had TKR. It's been 4 days. I'm adjusting to all the therapy exercises, just the sleep..... I'll try your way, hopefully I'll sleep good tonight.
Hope these tips help! Sometimes it just takes some time until your knee is settled down until you start sleeping better. Thanks for watching!
You might want to check out the sleep meditation music videos on UA-cam. They have a variety of music videos for pain & inflammation.
I use ear buds at night when I awake. I'm 4 wks post op on my 2nd TKR. Meditation with music has been very helpful. 👍
@@garioma1344 thanks for the info...
I see you on your 2nd, I plan on doing my 2nd knee too, my question to you, how much time after your first, I heard it was 3 months
Gracias por la information
You are very welcome!
I had a total knee replacement on Nov. 1st. I am still struggling to find a comfortable position. Most every night my hip kills me. My hip didn't bother me BEFORE the surgery. I take 2 hydrocodones about 2 hours before I head to bed, which is usually around
8pm. But I am usually still awake at 2 or 3! When I get up around 9-9:30 am, I still don't feel fully rested. I'm going to take your advice. Thank you for making this video!! ❤❤😊
Difficulty with sleeping can be extremely frustrating. I hope some tips in this video help! Best wishes to you.
Yes!
🙏🙏🙏
thanks your tips are very helpful!
Happy to help!
Thank you! I had knee replacement surgery just over a month ago on my right knee and before surgery I would sleep on my side with my right knee on the bottom. I was under the impression that would make things worse with my knee on the bottom like that.
You are welcome and thanks for watching. As long as it feels comfortable for you, there is really no reason why you can't sleep on your side with your surgical leg on the bottom.
What about having bent knees when sleeping on your side first few weeks post surgery? Isn’t that bad for extension?
This is a fair point. I usually recommend to patients try to sleep on the back with the leg mostly straight at least until you are able to achieve full knee extension (0 degrees), typically within the first few days to week. Once we know you have full extension range of motion we are less concerned about the extent of knee flexion when sleeping.
I have severe chronic osteoarthritis pain in my lower spine and simply cannot sleep on my back-not even with all the pain meds I take. I can only sleep on my side.
Sorry to hear about your low back issues impacting your sleep. It is totally ok to sleep on your side, especially if it better allows you to get a good nights sleep. I would recommend the pillow between the legs, as many patients report the benefits of this for improved comfort and positioning.
Also sleeping is more comfortable not only with pillows but if you put on scar cream before you go to bed to help ease some of that irritation you want to put vitamin E cream and Bag Balm and a few other things on like medicated Vaseline or just plain Vaseline to help with the irritation and the burning and stinging before going too bad also
Yes, this is very good advice! Thanks for sharing!
Where do you put it
I’m going to have a replacement next week. Looks like I’ll get x 2 5mg oxycodone a day for pain and that’s it. So which do I chose, do my PT or sleep?
How to best optimize the use of pain medicine is going to vary and come down to a discussion with your surgeon and healthcare providers. You can also incorporate other modes of pain management, this may include NSAIDs or Tylenol; icing, elevation and positioning. You will have to identify the best combination for you. Best wishes with your upcoming surgery and the rehab and recovery after!
What about sleeping positions after MPFL reconstruction surgery with a locked post op brace?
Probably the most comfortable position is on your back with multiple pillows or a wedge propped under the leg to elevate it. You can also try sleeping in a recliner or sleeping on your side and using 1 or a few pillows between your legs.
I can't lay on my stomach as it hurts my surgical scar.
Im 6 days post surgery and sleep on the non operated side with pillows between my legs
This is common, most people don't tolerate laying on the stomach, especially early on after surgery. Side sleeping with pillows between the legs is a great option.
I'm 13 days post op and struggling right now to sleep. I'm worried about using any pillows since it was not advised. But I'm guessing if you're sleeping on your operated side, it's ok to pop a knee over it.
Tfs 😊
The main concern with using a pillow is to place it directly under the knee so the knee is in a very bent position all night. If you are progressing well with your range of motion this is less of concern. It is absolutely ok to place your leg up on a pillow while sleeping on your side or with the pillow between your legs.
@KneeReplacementTherapists Thank you ♡
I learned to keep the knee straight (uncomfortable) Your knee positions show mostly curved legs (comfortable).
It is common practice for healthcare providers to recommend keeping the knee straight while sleeping to help avoid a stiff flexed knee that cannot straighten. However, this is really not as significant an issue as conveyed. As long as you are doing your knee extension range of motion exercises multiple times per day and achieving good knee extension (straightening), don't be too worried if there is a little bend in your knee if it is more comfortable and helps you sleep at night.
I had a partial meniscus removed do I have to rest my knee everyday, I’m on my 3 week. Do I put my leg on a table or is it normal to sit on the couch feet down.
It can be beneficial to elevate your leg throughout the day to help decrease swelling, but you don't have to do this all the time. It is okay to spend some of the time with the feet and legs resting in a normal position.
@@KneeReplacementTherapists okay thankyou 😊 I also had another question... like I mentioned I’m in my 3rd week after surgery my knee still feels stiff and weak is this normal? and why does it feel stiff is it because the swelling because I don’t see any signs of my knee swelled up. Thanks
@@servantofthecreator Yes this is normal, the stiffness is normally due to pain and inflammation, even if you don't have visible swelling. Also, your body is in the early stages of healing and scar tissue formation which can contribute to stiffness...keep moving the knee and your body often throughout the day
@@KneeReplacementTherapists what’s the time line of recovery for total Meniscectomy vs partial meniscectomy. Are they the same 4-6 weeks full recovery
@@servantofthecreator Yes the recovery is typically about the same 4-6 weeks
I need to find flat pillows like u have...8 weeks post op and keep waking up with pain as side sleeper
Pillows is the key to finding a comfortable position... best of luck to you
Side sleeper too. Day 7 today, drugs are what helps
Thanks for watching!
It does get better.
Just some quality sleep would be nice. I’m m 6 weeks in after having 2 knees replaced and sleeping is still a big issue. I want to lay on my side but of course the knees hurt.
You are not alone! Knee pain and difficulty sleeping are big issues, especially early on after surgery... for most folks it does get gradually better over time.
Helpful video! Good sleep
is essential to a fast recovery. FWIW, you say “lay on your stomach” /“lay on your back”….the correct word here is “lie.” The word “lay” is used with an object…for example, “lay the book on the table.” When referring to the action of of putting our body in a flat position, we should say, “Lie down,” not “lay down.” Picky, I know, but just FYI. Love your channel!
Thank you for watching! I know better, too! I've actually had patients correct me on this, too 😀 Thank you for watching, and I'll do my best to use the correct word in future videos!
I’ve seen several of these videos they all fail to explain where the cats goes in any ?
🐱The cats go wherever the cats want to go! It's not up to the human!
Try with 4
@@barryackerman3331 Yup. I've had two abdominal surgeries - had to sleep in the recliner for a week (we only had a waterbed, and I couldn't get out of it!). I had to protect my stomach with pillows from our 4 cats! During a foot surgery, I had 1 cat and our house bunny snuggled on my lap for 3 days straight. I'm plotting my upcoming TKR "Cat Sleeping Strategy" now! You can use foil and your walker as weird scaffolding cat defense shields, I've heard. 🙂
@@KneeReplacementTherapists😂😂😂
And the dog too….be well!
Slip well. Switt dreamers.
😴😴
I was told to sleep on my back now into day four , I’m tired of sleeping on my back .
Why can’t I sleep on my right side ?
I would ask your surgeon or whoever informed you to only sleep on your back. In most cases you can sleep on your side as well after knee replacement surgery.
How. I'm. A. Side. Sleep er
If you asking about keeping your knee straight, honestly just do the best you can when lying on your side. I believe it is more important to get the sleep and rest you need rather than worry too much about how much bend you have in the knee. It tends to only be in extreme cases where a person is completely negligent of their early stretching and ROM where prolonged periods of knee bend, such as at night, is an issue.
No way…my PT said no
Not sure what part of the video you are referring to, but if it is about bending the knee, although you should try to avoid prolonged periods of time with the knee bent it is okay to have a little bend if it helps make sleeping more tolerable. Thanks for watching!
That’s what it was…knee bending! Thank you for a great video…….helped me a lot